Synonyms of abortive

abortive

adjective

ə-ˈbȯr-tiv 

as in unsuccessful

producing no results

an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unsuccessful
• futile
• useless
• in vain
• unavailing
• fruitless
• unprofitable
• vain
• ineffective
• ineffectual
• unproductive
• insufficient
• bootless
• impossible
• profitless
• no dice
• worthless
• of no avail
• not worth the candle
• inadequate
• otiose
• inefficacious
• barren
• meaningless
• empty
• lost
• pointless
• hollow
• idle
• valueless
• hopeless
• lacking
• counterproductive
• unattainable
• no-win
• wanting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• successful
• effective
• efficient
• profitable
• productive
• fruitful
• deadly
• virtuous
• potent
• meaningful
• worthwhile
• adequate
• sufficient
• effectual
• efficacious
• practical
• feasible
• applicable
• functional
• workable
• usable
• practicable
• useable
• realizable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abortive

One is Eliot Spitzer, who during his abortive tenure as governor, knocked heads to get slow-mo insurers to pay the giant settlement that a court had awarded to Silverstein. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 11 Sep. 2024

The picture arrives, of course, at a fallow time for Marvel after a string of duds and an abortive attempt to introduce a new superhero phase following the climactic, stage-clearing (and absurdly lucrative) battles of Avengers: Endgame. —Zoe Guy, Vulture, 25 July 2024

The abortive investigation was overseen by Ralph Barrington, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Essex Police. —Heidi Blake, The New Yorker, 29 July 2024

The novel’s denouement finds Lucy planning to stay on the farm to raise her child and David, humbled by an abortive attempt to return to Cape Town, working in the animal shelter near her property. —Lauren Leblanc, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024